“Cabaret” to close on Broadway nearly a month early after Billy Porter pulls out due to illness

Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club is cutting its Broadway run short after star Billy Porter pulled out of the show to recover from sepsis.

The Tony Award–winning revival of the classic John Kander and Fred Ebb musical will take its final bow at the August Wilson Theatre on Sunday, Sept. 21, wrapping up a run that spans 592 performances and 18 previews since beginning in April 2024. The production was originally slated to conclude on Oct. 19.

Porter, who has been starring as the Emcee since July 22, is recovering from a “serious case of sepsis,” according to the musical’s producers. “His doctors are confident that he will make a full recovery but have advised him to maintain a restful schedule,” read a statement shared to the show’s official Instagram page.

The post also announced that the role of the Emcee will be played in rotation by Marty Lauter and David Merino, the production’s longtime alternates. The exact performance schedule for Lauter and Merino will be announced at a later date. Marisha Wallace, who joined the show with Porter in July after playing the Sally Bowles to his Emcee in the West End production in London, will remain with the show through closing.

“It is with a heavy heart that we have made the painful decision to end our Broadway run on Sept. 21,” producer Adam Speers said in a statement. “On behalf of all the producers, we’re so honored to have been able to bring this version of John Kander, Fred Ebb, and Joe Masteroff’s important masterpiece, Cabaret, to New York and to have opened the doors to our own Kit Kat Club for the year and a half we have been here.”

Speers continued, “Billy was an extraordinary Emcee, bringing his signature passion and remarkable talent. We wish Billy a speedy recovery, and I look forward to working with him again in the very near future.”

News of Cabaret closing comes after the show’s grosses recently entered a slump, with capacity falling to below 70 percent. This was especially dire considering the immersive production had a reported budget of $26 million, much of which was used to renovate the theater and create the Kit Kat Club ambience.

The show opened with Eddie Redmayne and Gayle Rankin starring as the Emcee and Sally, before they turned the roles over to Adam Lambert and Auli’i Cravalho, then Orville Peck and Eva Noblezada. Cabaret earned nine nominations at the 77th Annual Tony Awards, including Best Revival of a Musical. It ultimately won the award for Best Scenic Design of a Musical.

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In London, the Olivier Award–winning West End production is continuing its run, now in its fourth year at the Kit Kat Club at the Playhouse. It currently stars Hannah Dodd and Rob Madge, but next month it will welcome Hadestown alums and real-life couple Reeve Carney and Noblezada into the lead roles.

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